If you’ve never worked in a law firm, then you may be wondering what it is like. Equally, you may already work in a law firm but not particularly enjoy it and you may be curious as to whether other firms have a similar or different atmosphere to that you are currently experiencing. I have worked in two law firms that, I would say, are very different in terms of the working environment. No two firms are the same and therefore, no matter where you work, firm A will have things that firm B doesn’t and so on, whether that be certain procedures, facilities or work environment. From experiencing two very different firms, I’ve come to the realisation that life in a law firm is not as daunting as one may initially envisage. I was particularly worried about being surrounded and intimidated by all of these amazingly talented humans (a.k.a lawyers!) but they’re just humans who are no different from anyone else.
Prior to starting work, and not really knowing what to expect, I thought that I was going to meet lawyers who would think they’re above everyone else and who may not be the most pleasant (a common misconception that I had – think I was watching too much Suits!!). I think that there are always going to be individuals who you do not particularly see eye to eye with, or get along with, and that just seems to be a part of life. However, from my personal experience, the lawyers that I have worked with are all lovely, kind people! The lawyers themselves make the job so great. When you work for someone who you really admire this makes the job so enjoyable and so much less daunting than you may, at first instance, imagine life in a law firm to be. Perhaps I’m lucky that I’ve worked in two firms that consisted of really nice people? I can’t say that every firm out there is going to have a great working environment because I simply wouldn’t know this! To be honest, you could have a bad work experience in any industry – which I have. But I’m really grateful that the two experiences that I have had, and continue to have, are positive.
If you’re soon to be starting work in a law firm, below are some really positive aspects that I’ve picked up from my current role and I hope they can offer some reassurance if you’re feeling worried or anxious.
Social side of work
From working in a really positive-feeling law firm, I noticed that everyone is genuinely really friendly which contributes to a really social and happy working environment. Also having colleagues who you’re friendly with, I believe, can take the pressure off what can feel like a very daunting time in your life when you begin a new job. You also feel like you have people you can lean on/go to for support when you need it. I find that I appreciate this so much when I’m having a busy/stressful day and makes those difficult days that little bit easier.
Another reason why I really enjoy life in a law firm is because my employers really do seem to care about their employees and this makes a massive difference to your mentality! You feel that you’re appreciated and it’s nice to feel like people care about you! The other day, work ordered in a load of cakes, pastries and fruit and everyone stopped what they were doing to eat and chat about mental health – how lovely!
Moreover, I remember when I first started work back in the summer and how hot the office was. On a few of the super-hot days, work would let us leave slightly earlier or bring us in ice creams – just little acts of kindness that go a long way. For me personally, little things like this make me want to give back to my employer and go the extra step; starting work early, or finishing late, doesn’t feel like a chore when you know that you’re appreciated. It’s a combination of the social atmosphere, with the little acts of kindness, that really made me think ‘yep, this is defo a lovely place to work’.
The work environment
So I’ve spoken a bit about the social side of work but wanted to explain, in a little bit more detail, what the work environment is actually like. So if you’re anything like me, and watch a lot of TV dramas, I had this vision that working in a law firm automatically entailed no social life and constantly running around the office/being rushed off my feet. Now don’t get me wrong, some days are like this and are extremely busy! I find myself sometimes working through my lunch break, staying later than usual and forgetting to eat. Most of the time this is just me wanting to get all of my jobs done when actually I could leave a few jobs for the next day and not be quite so busy. Anyway, although you do have busy days just like you would regardless of where you work, some days can be quite chilled. By chilled I don’t mean that we have our feet up on the desks and drink tea all day – ha! What I mean by that is that some days can be quite steady, I can happily just work through my to do list and not feel too much pressure which is really nice.
I find that if I do start to become stressed, or feel like I have too much on, I just talk to the person that I work for, or someone else that I feel comfortable talking to, and work can either be shared out or I can be told what needs to be done and what can wait. Communication is really key and I feel that if you know you aren’t going to get something done then just let the person who is expecting the work to be done know. The more notice you give them the more likely they won’t mind. If something isn’t urgent I just say ‘look I have x, y and z on today and unfortunately I won’t get round to your job today but I will do it first thing tomorrow’. This transparency contributes to a really nice and supportive environment – no one is going to expect you to be able to do everything anyway! You’re only human with a set number of hours in the day!
Furthermore, I don’t feel like there is any sort of hierarchy at this firm. I get the vibe that we are all valued, all equal and all contribute to the success of the firm.
Structure of your day
Following on from what I said previously, some days are hectic while some not so much. Although, I have learnt that no two days in a law firm are the same. To me, this makes work somewhat exciting – you never know what could be thrown on you in that particular day. You may have made a list for the day but then you are hit with a load of urgent work. This definitely helps you to become flexible and adapt. Of course there will be standard jobs that need to be done every day as a rule but what your day consists of is fairly varied. This is what makes the job exciting.
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